In this project funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanisms-B and Chemical Measurement and Imaging Programs, Professor Abraham Badu-Tawiah of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Ohio State University is developing a new electrocatalytic screening platform for the selective reactions (oxidation) of carbon carbon double bonds. The project seeks to identify electrocatalytic conditions that enable selective synthesis of high-value fine chemicals. Education and outreach activities are designed to directly impact students in the early stages (K-12) of their educational experience. The project is well-positioned to introduce students - including groups underrepresented in the STEM fields - to interdisciplinary science.
The majority of heterogeneous electrocatalysts are oxides or metals dispersed onto oxide supports. Traditionally, oxide synthesis and subsequent reactivity screening occur separately in two independent experiments. This project targets an all-in-one panoptic system that combines in-situ oxide synthesis and catalytic reaction screening into a single experimental step. The research involves the development of a multimodal, contained, nano-electrospray system for the in-situ preparation of the eletrocatalyst and subsequent modification of the reaction environment in real-time. Anodic reaction screening is investigated using the electrooxidation of alkenes by non-inert metal electrodes to produce several important reactive chemical intermediates. Cathodic reaction screening is showcased using the selective reduction of carbon carbon double bonds in the presence of carbon oxygen double bonds.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.